The West Fork is a zinc, lead, and silver mine located in Alaska.
About the MRDS Data:
All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.
Mine Info
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West Fork MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: West Fork
Commodity
Primary: Zinc
Primary: Lead
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Location
State: Alaska
District: Bonnifield
Land Status
Not available
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:
Physiography
Not available
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Massive sulfide, kuroko
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Not available
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Quartz and sericite.
Rocks
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Devonian
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Sericite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Geology): Age = Mineralization was probably syngenetic with the Upper Devonian host rocks.
Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The country rocks at the West Fork prospect are Upper Devonian(?) felsic metavolcanic rocks consisting of schist and phyllite, locally containing relict phenocrysts of quartz, orthoclase, and plagioclase (Wilson and others, 1998). The deposit consists of stratiform layers of massive pyrite, galena, and sphalerite, accompanied by quartz and sericite. Samples of a 20-30-centimeter-wide massive-sulfide horizon contained 3.68% lead, 4.05% zinc, 131 grams of silver per tonne and 0.38 grams of gold per tonne (www.grayd.com, 1999).
Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Kuroko massive sulfide (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 28a)
Comment (Exploration): Status = Active
Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The prospect has been explored by surface sampling, geophysical work, and one drill hole (Inmet Mining, personal communication, 1999). Samples of a 20-30-centimeter-wide massive-sulfide horizon contained 3.68% lead, 4.05% zinc, 131 grams of silver per tonne and 0.38 grams of gold per tonne (www.grayd.com, 1999).
Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = www.grayd.com, 1999
References
Reference (Deposit): Wilson, F.H., Dover, J.H., Bradley, D.C., Weber, F.R., Bundtzen, T.K., and Haeussler, P.J., 1998, Geologic map of central (interior) Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-133, 17 p., 2 sheetsm, scale 1:500,000.
Reference (Deposit): www.grayd.com, 1999.
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